The morning started with the sound of rain.
Not a gentle drizzle, but a steady rhythm tapping against the windows — the kind that made students groan the moment they saw it.
Haruto Tanaka sighed as he adjusted his glasses, staring at the grey sky from his desk. He liked quiet mornings, but rain always made the classroom louder somehow — everyone complaining about wet shoes, messy hair, and forgotten umbrellas.
"Good morning, Tanaka-kun!"
He turned at the familiar voice. Aoi Nakamura stood there, her uniform sleeves slightly damp, hair clinging to her cheeks. She was smiling, of course — she always was — though her bangs were sticking up in a few funny directions.
"…You forgot your umbrella, didn't you?" Haruto asked.
Aoi's grin faltered for a second. "…Maybe."
"You live fifteen minutes away from school."
"I know, I know! I thought it wouldn't rain today! The forecast said only cloudy!"
Haruto sighed, reaching into his bag and showing her the compact umbrella he always carried. "You can borrow mine."
Her eyes widened. "Eh? What about you?"
"I'll manage."
"No way!" She shook her head so hard her ponytail swayed. "I can't just take yours. We'll share!"
"Share?" He blinked. "It's not that big."
"It'll be fine!" she said cheerfully. "I'm small! See?" She stretched out her arms, grinning.
Haruto felt his heart skip for no logical reason. "…That's not really the point."
But Aoi had already made up her mind — as always.
---
By the time the final bell rang, the rain hadn't let up. The sky hung low and silver, the sound of water dripping from the school roof echoing softly down the halls.
Aoi and Haruto stood at the entrance, the umbrella between them.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Not really," he muttered, unfolding the small blue umbrella.
It barely covered both of them. The moment they stepped out, Aoi scooted closer, her shoulder brushing his arm.
Haruto stiffened. Too close. Definitely too close.
But Aoi didn't seem to notice. She was humming, watching the puddles reflect the faint light from passing cars. "You know, rainy days aren't so bad when you've got company."
He looked at her, surprised. "You really find a way to enjoy everything, don't you?"
"Of course! There's always something nice hiding somewhere," she said, tilting her face up toward the rain. "Like how the world smells fresh after it rains. Or how the road sparkles."
"Or how you forgot your umbrella again," Haruto added dryly.
She laughed, the sound bright even under the dull sky. "That too!"
They walked in silence for a while, the patter of rain filling the spaces between them. Every so often, the umbrella tilted — mostly because Aoi leaned too far one way to avoid a puddle or peek at a stray cat sheltering under a vending machine.
"Careful," Haruto said, adjusting the umbrella back over her.
"Oops! Sorry!"
"You're hopeless."
"But I make up for it with charm, right?" she teased, flashing a grin.
He didn't answer, but the faint color in his cheeks said enough.
When they finally reached the intersection where their paths split, Aoi stopped. "Thanks for walking with me, Tanaka-kun."
"Just don't forget next time," he said, handing her the umbrella handle. "You can keep it for now."
Her eyes softened. "Really?"
"Yeah. You'll probably forget again tomorrow anyway."
She giggled. "You know me too well."
He started to turn away, but her voice stopped him.
"Hey, Tanaka-kun?"
He looked back.
Aoi was standing there, clutching the umbrella, rain pattering gently around her. "You should smile more often. It suits you."
Then she waved and ran off into the drizzle, her laughter trailing behind her like a melody.
Haruto stood there for a long moment, staring after her — and only realized later that he was smiling again.